16 Jun Should I buy a contacts list when I am starting out with email marketing?

Like all things in marketing, some paid for activity is better than others, and it is primarily down to the quality of what you are buying. Some credible organisations may be able to offer email lists that have valuable contacts on there, but more often than not what you are buying is quantity over quality.

The other risk with a pre-bought list is that as the contacts on there haven’t specifically signed up for your emails, they are highly likely to mark it as spam. So you are essentially sending out your messages into a void.

Instead, it is better to spend the time building up your own list of email contacts. This will of course take longer, but the quality of the leads and contacts will deliver much more return for your investment.

There are a number of great ways to grow your email subscriber list. Make it clear on your website how people can sign up to get your latest news, and make it easy for them to do it. No-one wants to jump through too many hoops to access information.

Secondly, make sure you include an ‘email to a friend’ button on your emails as this can help spread your message even further. Have an easy way to opt in too, so those receiving the forwarded emails can sign up to get your emails too.

These are just some very basic steps. For a more detailed discussion on email marketing, growing your lists and keeping your contacts interested, squawk to team Parrot!